Stateside Daily Archive

Many Palestinians in the U-S feel a deep connection to their ancestral land. That pull has become more poignant with Israel’s bombardment of Gaza that to date has killed more than 30-thousand people. Michigan Public’s Adam Yahya Rayes and Briana Rice talked to four Palestinians living in Michigan about how they’re thinking about their ethnic and national identities right now. ___ Looking for more...

A new free-standing birthing center is expected to open its doors in April of 2024. Led by midwives, Birth Detroit aims to provide a safe and culturally relevant “full care experience from period-to-period” for expecting families. GUESTS: Char'ly Snow, co-founder & chief clinical officer of Birth Detroit Leseliey Welch, co-founder & CEO of Birth Detroit ___ Looking for more conversations f...

In her new book, “Attack From Within: How Disinformation Is Sabotaging America,” Barb McQuade explores the United States’ long history with misinformation and how we can combat falsehoods in today’s political environment. Today, McQuade talks about First Amendment rights, histories of authoritarianism, and how to find truth in a sea of falsehoods. GUEST: Barbara McQuade , professor at Michigan Law...

The painful history of chattel slavery in the United States hasn’t left behind much of a paper trail – and what we have is vague and inhumane. The incompleteness itself of this documentation speaks volumes. Which is why Benjamin Hall’s family heirloom — a "manumission" or freedom paper – is such a big deal. Today, we’re talking about the legacy of Frank Demas, also known as Thomas Willis and the f...

Michigan is set to receive around $1.5 billion dollars over the next 18 years from a settlement with pharmaceutical companies that produce and distribute opioids. Half of the money coming to the state will be distributed to local governments. And now, with money rolling in, counties and municipalities are trying to figure out how to spend it. GUEST: Robin Erb , health reporter for Bridge Michigan ...

In Michigan's primary election, more than 13% of people who voted on the Democratic ballot cast an “uncommitted” vote, which was enough votes to be awarded a couple delegates at the Democratic National Convention. These voters want a permanent ceasefire to put an end to the five-month long U-S-backed Israeli bombardment and siege of Palestine. Today we’re going to hear again from the organizers be...

Early voting had been going on for a while, but Michigan had our in-person primary elections on Tuesday. To no surprise, the winners were Joe Biden and Donald Trump. However, there’s always a lot to think about as we get breakdowns of who voters supported, and where in Michigan they turned out.  GUESTS: Colin Jackson , reporter for the Michigan Public Radio Network Rick Pluta, senior capitol corre...

“The Future,” a new speculative novel by the Montreal-based writer Catherine Leroux, reimagines what a Francophone Detroit would be like today if the French had never ceded the city to the British in 1760. The novel contends with histories of forced migration, poverty, and environmental degradation, and explores how a city adapts in the face of climate change. GUEST: Catherine Leroux , author of "...

What can AI tell us about public opinions on climate change?   Researchers at the University of Michigan are experimenting with new technology to measure public attitudes by using social media posts on X (formerly Twitter.) And their findings may surprise you. GUEST: Joshua Newell , professor in the School for Environment and Sustainability at the University of Michigan  ___ Looking for more conve...

In February, the animal we turn to as a nation to tell us about the heralding of spring is the groundhog. But birders know that the real messenger of the changing seasons lives in the sky. Birds that leave our region for the winter will soon return. There's plenty to prepare for now. And more than a few birds to check out while we wait. GUEST: April Campbell, a long-time birder, retired MD and the...

Yesterday on the podcast we talked to two organizers from the “Vote Uncommitted” campaign among Arab American and other voters in Michigan. Today we’ll get analysis on that movement from Detroit Free Press editorial page editor Nancy Kaffer. GUEST: Nancy Kaffer , editorial page editor, Detroit Free Press ___ Looking for more conversations from Stateside? Right this way . If you like what you hear...

Listen to Michigan is leveraging political power by casting "uncommitted" votes rather than voting for President Joe Biden in the 2024 Michigan primary. GUESTS: Layla Elabed , campaign manager for Listen to Michigan  Abbas Alawieh , political strategist and spokesman for Listen to Michigan ___ Looking for more conversations from Stateside? Right this way . If you like what you hear on the pod, con...

Michigan Senator Stephanie Chang and a group of collaborators came up with a plan to fund delinquent water bills and offer more affordable costs to low income households. Today, we’re looking at what this water-affordability plan would do, and we’ll dig into the years of water advocacy in places like Detroit that preceded it.  GUESTS: Stephanie Chang ,  Michigan Senator representing the 3rd distri...

Isle Royale – Lake Superior’s island National Park – is a naturalist's playground. It’s home to an estimated 30 odd wolves and nearly 1000 moose – all protected from hunting. For decades now, a team of researchers have been surveying the wolf and moose populations, but this winter with record breaking warm weather, the census did not go as planned.  GUEST: Rolf Peterson,  research professor in For...

Kristina Karamo was ousted by state committee members last month, but said that she’s not leaving her position as Michigan Republican Party chair. Then, last week the Republican National Committee announced that they are now recognizing former Congressman Pete Hoekstra as MI GOP chair. So what is going on in Michigan’s Republican Party? And how will this all effect the upcoming Republican Conventi...

We have some updates for you from Lansing. Gun reform laws that passed last session came into effect this week, Michigan State Representative Brenda Carter's been feeling the heat from auto no-fault reform activists, and Representative Josh Schriver was recently disciplined for a racist social media post. GUESTS: Tracy Samilton , reporter for Michigan Public Rick Pluta , senior Capitol corresponde...

This year, the Kresge Foundation re-introduced us to a prolific metro Detroit artist who connected imaginative abstract motion and ideas with stories and images of Latino and Indigenous people. Nora Chapa Mendoza is a self-taught painter who established her career in Detroit. She is the 2024 Kresge Eminent Artist, for her life of achievements on the canvas and in advocacy. GUEST: Nora Chapa Mendoz...

Detroit chef Ameneh Marhaba has carved out a place for her own Afro-fusion style with a pop-up kitchen and catering business called Little Liberia. Now Marhaba is working on a big lift: she’s preparing to open a brick-and-mortar storefront for Little Liberia in Midtown, Detroit. GUEST: Ameneh Marhaba , owner of Little Liberia ___ Looking for more conversations from Stateside? Right this way . If y...

How has campus security changed one year after the Michigan State University shooting? Today we get into what we know so far about security upgrades and how the MSU community is responding to it. GUEST: Isabel Lohman ,  education reporter at Bridge Michigan ___ Looking for more conversations from Stateside? Right this way . If you like what you hear on the pod, consider supporting our work. See om...

Confections with Convictions is a chocolate shop. But it does a whole lot more than sell sweet treats. This confectionary employs young people fresh out of entanglements with the legal system, and gives them a chance to build a career path. GUEST: Dale Anderson , founder of Confections with Convictions Jennifer Faketty , owner of Confections with Convictions ________ Looking for more conversations...

This week, the mother of the shooter in the Oxford High School mass shooting was convicted on four counts of involuntary manslaughter. Stateside spoke with Aubrey Greenfield, a survivor of the Oxford shooting and a gun violence prevention activist, about what this verdict means to her and members of her community. We also spoke with Nick Suplina, senior vice president for law and policy at Everyto...

This week, an Oakland County jury convicted Jennifer Crumbley, the mother of the Oxford school shooter, on four charges of involuntary manslaughter. This case is extremely unique in the national landscape. Over the next couple days we’ll explain why. GUEST: Eve Brensike Primus ,  Yale Kamisar Collegiate professor of law at the University of Michigan ___ Looking for more conversations from Statesid...

This winter we're seeing rate hikes for DTE Energy customers. So why are rates up and why might your energy bill get even higher? Plus, we also get into what people are doing in response to these rate changes. GUEST: Sarah Alvarez , director of Outlier Media ___ Looking for more conversations from Stateside? Right this way . If you like what you hear on the pod, consider supporting our work. See o...

The pace and patience of fiber arts is learned through mentorship. Williamsburg-based fiber artist Nancy McRay talks about how Northern Michigan provides the perfect backdrop for her practice - as an artist and teacher - at the loom. GUEST: Nancy McRay , fiber artist   ___ Looking for more conversations from Stateside? Right this way . If you like what you hear on the pod, consider supporting our...

The National Parks Service's National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom program produced a new video series called “Questioning Conversations.” Through candid dialogue between academics and artists, the series examines the Underground Railroad’s history and its reverberating impact.  GUEST: Anna Lisa Cox, nonresident fellow with the Hutchins Center for African and African American Research a...